Authoritarianism and Progressive Christianity

Column by Brian McLaren on April, 3 2025

Many Americans still don’t believe we are in the process of an authoritarian coup. But the more I understand about authoritarianism, the clearer that reality becomes.

How Suffering Love Reveals the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53

Column by Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Frantz on March, 27 2025

Suffering love is the pinnacle value of Christianity.  It is rooted in the suffering of Jesus on the cross–a reality we can never fully fathom: the aching loneliness, the wrenching pain, the sense of total abandonment.  Suffering goes to the core of our human situation.

When Bad Things Happen, Is God Accountable? Rethinking Providence for a Healthier Faith

Column by Rev. Dr. Mark Sandlin on March, 20 2025

There’s an old saying that gets thrown around when tragedy strikes: “God has a plan.” I don’t know about you, but when I look at the history of the world and even the current political situation in the U.S., I don’t buy it. Maybe it’s well-meaning, maybe it’s just a knee-jerk response to pain, but let’s be honest—it’s a theological train wreck.

Excuse Me?

Column by Rev. Dr. Robin Meyers on February, 20 2025

What is essential for civilization, and in particular for democracy, is not just slipping away.  It is imploding.  The plutocratic autocracy has arrived in the form of billionaires who eliminate programs that feed poor children while stuffing their pockets with billions in government subsidies.

The Big Hole in the Nicene Creed

Column by Rev. Dr. Matthew Fox on February, 13 2025

The “Nicene Creed” has been a foundation for Christian unity for a long time.  But the occasion raises some serious questions as well.  Does the Creed represent the marriage of empire and religion, Constantine and Christianity, that created a detour from the authentic teachings of Jesus for 1600 subsequent years? 

Getting Over the Grand Narrative

Column by Rev. Dr. Caleb J. Lines on January, 16 2025

I love a good story, and the Exodus story is one of the best in the Bible!  …What a story!  It’s filled with drama, violence, intrigue, unlikely heroes, and unexpected twists.  It’s fun to read, even though many of us know it well.

Give Us a King!

Column by Dr. Carl Krieg on January, 9 2025

Mythology is a way to tell the truth, and the Hebrew writings are a string of pearls, one myth after the other, one truth after the other, and the truths tell a grim story about who we are as human beings.

Liturgy in a Living Tradition

Column by Brian McLaren on December, 26 2024

In a living religious tradition, participants have, not simply permission, but more: a moral responsibility to adapt and innovate in an attempt to improve the truth, goodness, and beauty of the version of the tradition they received from their ancestors. 

Such a Strange Way to Save The World

Column by Rev. Dr. Mark Sandlin on December, 19 2024

When it comes to “saving the world,” I am much more interested in the life and teachings of Jesus than I am in any divinely ordered sacrificial actions that humanity has overly burdened the stories with. Even in the stories themselves, we see signs of the importance of his life and teachings.

Now Is The Time To Be Prophets

Column by Rev. Brandan Robertson on December, 12 2024

Biblically, there’s no indication that prophets necessarily have supernatural powers. Occasionally, prophets hear the voice of God and communicate it to their people, but more often, prophets are simply those who perceive the actions of their communities and deduce the likely consequences.